Abstract: A molded plastic base has a cylindrical side wall with three rodent access openings to passageways which lead to an internal feeding chamber containing rodent bait, the passageways providing multiple rodent feeding positions at the feeding chamber. A dome-shaped lid has finger recesses permitting the lid to be gripped and rotated with respect to the base. A latch secures the lid, for release without the need for a key. Narrow flanges extend inwardly from the lid to engage beneath outwardly protruding flanges on the upper parts of the base side wall. A portion of the base side wall is resiliently deflectable inwardly such that rotation of the lid causes a cam surface tooth to be depressed by a lid flange. Once past the tooth, the resilient side wall portion returns to its original condition locking removal of the lid until the side wall portion is depressed from the outside.

Abstract: A plastic upper jaw is pivotably mounted by a steel pin to a plastic base. A spring urges the jaw to close upon the base. A trigger is pivotably mounted to the base. A catch restrains the upper jaw in a set position until the trigger is actuated. The base has two upwardly extending side walls. Each side wall has a cable opening adjacent the floor of the base. A cable tie is looped around a pipe or support member and extends through the opposed openings in the opposite side walls. The ends of the tie are connected to secure the rodent trap to the support member. Because the upper jaw provides a wide gripping area, allowing the trap to be safely set, the trap is readily moved into the set position while it is secured to the support member, even if in an overhead position.

Abstract: A rodent trap particularly adapted for rats has a plastic base to which a plastic upper jaw is pivotably mounted by a steel pin. A spring is engaged between the base and the upper jaw and urges the jaw to close upon the base. A trigger is pivotably mounted by the pin to ears which project upwardly from the base. A catch mechanism operates to restrain the upper jaw in a set position until the trigger is actuated. A plastic bait container has radially protruding flanges which permit it to be extended through a hole in the base beneath the trigger and secured to the base such that the bait within the container is accessible through another hole in the trigger. In one embodiment, the bait container is generally cylindrical and is twisted into place. The bait container is readily removed for replenishment.

Abstract: A plastic lid is hinged to a rodent bait containing base. A card holder protrudes from the inside surface of a lid upper wall. Tabs extend inwardly from two side rails extending from the inside surface, with a flexible service record card being retained between the tabs and the inside surface. Inadvertent dislodgment of the card from between the side rails is prevented by front and rear members. The card is readily removed from the card holder by being flexed and extracted over the front member. The tabs may have beveled front surfaces to facilitate insertion of the card. The card is marked with indicia to indicate the service history of the bait station.

Abstract: A molded plastic base has a rodent runway which extends from two inlet openings to a single rodent containment compartment. Pivotable ramps are positioned in the rodent runway adjacent cacti inlet opening. A plastic lid is slidingly engaged with the base, and is movable along the axis of the rodent runway. The lid has downwardly extending tabs which have inclined inside and outside surfaces, and barriers extending between each pair of tabs. The inclined surfaces of the tabs engage inclined protrusions which project upwardly from the ramps when the lid is slid open and closed, the engagement between the inclined surfaces causes the ramps to pivot out of the way of the barriers, facilitating smooth and uninterrupted opening and closing of the lid on the base.

Abstract: A plastic jaw or striker with downwardly facing teeth is pivotally mounted to a plastic base with mating upwardly facing teeth. A plastic trigger hangs from the base, and a coil spring extends between the jaw and the base rearward of the trigger. The spring holds the jaw in the set position, by engaging the rear of the jaw against the rear of the base. The trap is tuned to be not overly sensitive, avoiding springing of the trap by vibrations or insubstantial rodent entry. The spring or tension axis does not go through the trigger, simplifying construction and arrangement of parts. The open position is limited by the jaw engaging the base. The jaw is just over-center when set, such that a small movement towards closure does not trigger it. The trigger requires fairly large movement, facilitated by the raised pivot axis, to trigger the trap.

Abstract: An injection molded plastic body has a lid joined by a living hinge. A rodent passageway extends within the body between two aligned holes. The hinge is perpendicular to the passageway, allowing the lid to be opened when the body is fixed adjacent a building wall. The interior of the body is divided by a raised wall which is broken into two segments by an opening to a blind passageway extending perpendicular to the passageway. Two rodent feeding areas are positioned adjacent the blind passageway. Bait blocks are positioned within each feeding area on protrusions which are received within axially extending central holes. The blocks are clamped between underlying rings and cooperating structure depending downwardly from the lid. Instead of bait, a mechanical trap maybe positioned on two of three protrusions aligned along the blind passageway. The mechanical trap inter-fits with the protrusions to positively position the mechanical trap.

Abstract: A pest trap has a cover which engages with a base in two alternative positions. The cover has rodent access openings on opposed side walls which, in a first position, align with openings of similar dimensions in the opposed side walls of the base; and in a second position, when the cover is rotated 180°, align with solid portions of the base side walls to block the rodent access openings. A glue board within the base allows it to be used for trapping rodents and insects, or insects alone. The cover has tabs which pivot in base tab holes, and prongs which engage with base ledges to secure the cover to the base. The cover may have interior board restraint fingers which help to retain the glue board in a flat condition. A rod may support a bait block over a tray in place of the glue board.

Abstract: Rodents are entrapped in hot melt adhesive which is disposed on a thermoformed thermoplastic base sheet which has a series of closely spaced ridges defining a rodent runway extending the length of the base sheet. The ridges create a series of depressed valleys which receive the adhesive and engage the quantity of adhesive with the base sheet to mechanically retain the adhesive against shifting off the base sheet. A substantially unobstructed expanse of adhesive without exposed ridges is presented on the runway for encounter by a rodent. Two stiffening ribs extend upwardly from the base sheet on either side of the runway to rigidify the base sheet. Multiple protrusions extend adjacent to each stiffening rib exterior to the runway. The protrusions are engaged on top and bottom by parallel projections of rack members within a papers or corrugated container such that multiple glue boards may be stored and dispensed.

Abstract: Adhesive rodent glue boards are compactly packaged in a flexible plastic wrapper. Thermoformed glue-containing boards have protruding dam walls which extend upwardly from a base wall to define a reservoir for rodent-entrapping glue. The boards have a peripheral rim below the level of the glue. A paperboard sleeve extends between the rim of a first board and the rim of an overlying, inverted, second board, to maintain the glue of the two boards in spaced, non-contacting, relation. The glue extends to a level proximate the upper lip of the dam wall, allowing the board to present a lower profile to targeted rodents.

Abstract: An integrally molded plastic rodenticide dispenser has a base with a floor from which exterior sidewalls extend upwardly. A lid is joined to the base by an integral hinge. The lid is pivotal about the hinge to selectively cover and uncover the base. A passageway for pests, in particular rodents such as rats, is formed within the interior volume of the covered base by two converging barriers, the ends of which are spaced from one another to define a rodent feeding trough. Each barrier is comprised of two segments: a base barrier segment which is integrally formed with the base and extends upwardly from the base floor a distance less than the height of the base sidewalls, and a lid barrier segment which is integrally formed with the lid and which protrudes from the lid. The lid barrier segment is aligned with the base barrier segment when the lid covers the base to define a barrier across a portion of the base to block the passage of pests through the barrier.

Abstract: A multi-edged rodent bait unit is disclosed having a quantity of rodent meal and rodenticide formed into an extended article having planar front and rear faces. The article has a substantially constant cross section along its length and has four sides perpendicular to the front and rear faces. At least one side has portions defining a V-shaped groove. The walls of the groove meet the faces of the side at angle of less than 150 degrees to form linear edges which are easily gnawed by a rodent. A preferred form of the bait unit has a single groove on each side of the bait unit. A second preferred form has two grooves on each side, and a third preferred form has alternating grooves and ribs. The bait unit of this invention is formed by mixing a rodenticide with rotent meal at room temperature and adding liquid paraffin at approximately 145 degrees Fahrenheit to the mixture and blending the paraffin into the mixture to form a die homogeneous mass.

Abstract: A bait station (10) used in the reduction of pest populations is polygonal, having a first wall (14) that is straight and adapted to fit against a room wall, a second wall (16) with two portions at right angles adapted to fit in a room corner, two threshold portions (20,22) extending between the first wall (14) and the second wall (16), and third wall portions (18) oriented in a direction parallel to adjacent portions of the second wall (16) to define a right-angle passageway (34) between the second wall (16) and the third wall portions (18) and a bait containment chamber (40) between the first wall (14) and the third wall portions (18). The threshold portions (20,22) have pest access entrances (36,38) leading to passageway (34). An opening (40) to the bait containment chamber (32) is formed at the bend in the passageway (34). The passageway (34) makes the pest comfortable by providing a sense of easy access and retreat.

Abstract: A closure (20) for a cable splice includes two mating covers (23, 24) and two end plate assemblies (30--30). Each of two cables to be spliced is wrapped with convolutions of a sealing tape (32) disposed between two washers (34--34). The washers and sealing tape are received in a circular groove (53) formed by mating semi-circular hub portions (54--54) of two halves (42, 44) of an end plate assembly. The end plate assembly has a truncated conical shape with a smaller diameter portion terminating in a hub (52) which is disposed inside the closure. As a result of this conical shape, fasteners (64--64) inside the closure and aligned with the hub are used to secure together the halves of the end plate assembly and apply a balanced force system to the sealing tape within the hub. Longitudinally extending joints between the covers and a circumferential channel (45) in each end plate assembly are each filled with a sealing gasket. The covers are assembled together to enclose the end plate assemblies.

Abstract: An incandescent lamp has a coiled filament with an improved life when it is mounted substantially in the same direction in which a mechanical shock occurs. In a particular embodiment of a miniature lamp known as a switchboard lamp, the filament is mounted, without further support, between two posts. This results in a greater light effectiveness that permits a current reduction through the filament while maintaining desired light output levels in its operational environment. The filament is protected from harmful shock levels by being mounted between twisted posts which orient the filament in the general direction of a mechanical shock imparted to the lamp through key telephone button releases.